Teachers Resource Kit  The Curious Incident of 
the Dog in the Night-time  by Mark Haddon 
A fantastically unusual detective story written from the 
perspective of a 15-year-old autistic boy, who is obsessed 
with maths, science and Sherlock Holmes but finds it 
hard to understand other people. When he discovers a 
dead dog on a neighbours lawn he decides to solve the 
mystery; as in all good detective stories, however, the 
more he unearths, the deeper the mystery gets. 

Mark Haddon was born in 
Northampton in 1962. He has 
a BA in English from Oxford 
and a MSc in English Literature 
from Edinburgh University. Previously an illustrator and 
cartoonist, now a writer, he has also worked for a number of 
organisations working with children and adults with mental 
and physical handicaps. Mark has previously been shortlisted 
for the Smarties Prize for a book for younger children. With 
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, his first 
novel for older readers, he won The Guardian's Fiction Prize, 
was shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize and longlisted 

for the Man Booker Prize. 

Including classroom activities 
for children, Years 913, in 
the following subjects: 

* Art 
* Visual language 
* Reading 
* Writing 
* Science 
* Debate 
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is distributed by Random House New Zealand Ltd, 
Private Bag 102950, North Shore Mail Centre, Auckland, 
tel: 09 444 7197, fax: 09 444 7524 
Email: customerservice@randomhouse.co.nz 



General Questions Literary Questions 
Questions 
1. 
Why are the chapters numbered in an 
unusual way in this novel? 
2. 
We are often told that being logical and 
rational is the most sensible way to 
approach problems. How does the novel 
show us that this isnt always the case? 
3. 
What does this novel show us about the 
nature of truth? Does the novel show us 
that sometimes it is all right to lie, or tell 
untruths? 
4. 
What do jokes and lies have in common, 
according to Christopher? 
5. 
Is kindness sometimes better than the truth? 
6. 
How does the novel help us to think about 
what is sensible, or what is common sense, 
and what isnt? 
7. 
What does the novel show us about the 
nature of trust? How does Christopher 
have his trust in his parents ruined? Do you 
understand his reactions? (How would you 
react if you were in Christophers 
situation?) 
8. 
It is often believed that people with 
syndromes like Christophers are completely 
different to other people. Yet can you see 
any personality traits that you have in 
common with Christopher? 
9. 
What are Christophers main talents? What 
are his main flaws? 
10. What are his parents good qualities? What 
are their flaws? 
1. 
What does the novel have in common with a 
detective story? 
2. 
How does the novel differ from a detective 
novel? How is it different from other novels 
youve read? 
3. 
Comment on how the writer uses chapter 
breaks  what effect do they have? 
4. 
Find out a definition of irony in a dictionary 
and/or a glossary of literary terms. Find 
five examples of how Mark Haddon uses 
irony in his novel. 
Close Reading Questions 
Chapter 7 

 
Can you offer an interpretation of the passage that 
Christopher quotes from a proper novel? 
 
What appeals to Christopher about detective stories? 
Can you explain why? 
Chapter 11 

 
Comment on the sort of minute detail that Christopher 
notices. What do you make of this? I.e., what does it 
tell us about the way he sees the world and his 
responses to events? 
 
What effect does the policemans questions have on 
Christopher, and why? How does Christopher try to 
find safety? 
Chapter 13 

 
Why are there no jokes in this book, according to 
Christopher? Yet why do we often find the novel 
funny? 
Chapter 17 

 
Why does Christopher feel calmer even though the 
police officer says he is under arrest? 
 
Why does Christopher find scientific facts  e.g. 
about the galaxy  reassuring? 

Questions 
Chapter 19 

 
How are prime numbers like life, according to 
Christopher? 
Chapter 29 

 
Why does Christopher find people confusing? Can 
you understand his confusion? 
 
Why does Christopher find metaphors confusing? 
 
Why does Christopher say the word metaphor is itself 
a metaphor? 
 
Make a list of ten common metaphors we use in 
everyday speech. 
 
Why doesnt Christopher like his name? 
Chapter 31 

 
Why doesnt Christopher find similes as confusing as 
metaphors? 
Chapter 37 

 
Christopher always tells the truth, but this isnt a 
matter of a belief in what is right and wrong. Why 
doesnt he ever lie? 
Chapter 47 

 
How does Christopher explain the link he makes 
between seeing red cars and having a good day? 
Chapter 59 

 
How does Christopher justify his investigation into 
how Wellington died, even though his father has told 
him to stay out of other peoples business? 
 
What character qualities does Christopher have that 
would make him a good detective? 
Chapter 67 

 
Why doesnt Christopher like chatting? 
 
How does Christopher work out who his prime 
suspect is? 
Chapter 83 

 
What makes Christopher think he would make a good 
astronaut? Do you agree that he would qualify? 
 
What does Christopher discover about Mr Shears, 
from Mrs Alexander? 
Chapter 101 

 
How is Mr Jeavons wrong about Christophers love of 
maths? 
Chapter 107 

 
Rephrase the quotation from the ancient scroll in The 
Hound of the Baskervilles so that it would be easily 
understood by a modern reader. 
 
What qualities does Christopher admire in Sherlock 
Holmes? 
Chapter 139 

 
Find a dictionary definition and the orgins of the 
phrase Occams Razor. 
Chapter 157 

 
What insights do Christophers mothers letters give 
us into family life with Christopher? How does the 
picture weve had so far change? What new elements 
are there, in terms of mood and situation? 
 
What ways are Christopher and his father actually 
alike in the way they react to Christophers mother 
leaving? 
Chapter 163 

 
Explain how Christopher thinks the human brain is 
just like a computer. 
 
Do you agree that human feelings are just like a 
picture on a computer screen? Explain your answer. 
Chapters 191-197 

 
What are some of the ways Christopher finds to cope 
with the new and frightening situations he finds 
himself in? 
Chapter 229 

 
What is shocking or surprising about Christophers 
favourite dream? What is understandable about his 
dream? 
Chapter 233 

 
What makes Christopher decide he has to go back to 
Swindon? 
 
Do you agree with Christopher when he says (on page 
260) that I think it is worst when you dont know 
whether a good thing or a bad thing is going to 
happen? 

Research Debate Topics 
Questions 
 
Find out at least five facts each about both Aspergers 
Syndrome and autism. How do the two differ? 
Visual/Artistic Responses 

 
Imagine you are Christopher, and you want to create 
a picture of one of the crisis events in the novel. 
Illustrate the event in the medium of your choice. 
 
Create a portrait of Christopher based on your 
understanding of his character. 
 
Redesign the book cover for a new release of the 
novel. 
 
Imagine the novel is to be turned into a stage play 
or a movie. Design the poster advertising the 
production. 
Creative Writing 

 
Write about a serious incident in your own life, using 
a style like Christophers. Write about it again using 
your own style. 
 
Write a letter from Siobhan to a friend of hers, 
describing her work with Christopher. 
 
Reread Chapter 113, pp 9899, where Christophers 
mother and Siobhan describe what they imagine when 
they want to cheer themselves up. Write a poem or a 
song lyric that describes your own version of such a 
dream. 
 
Write a police profile of Christopher. 
 
Choose a colour, and compose a list like the one 
Christopher makes of reasons that he doesnt like 
yellow (Chapter 131, p 105). Use this as the basis 
for describing the character either of someone you 
know, or someone you have invented. 
 
Write a poem or a short story with the title, Occams 
Razor. 
 
Pp 175176: Read the two lists of things Christopher 
makes of what most people would notice and what he 
noticed in a field.Write two such lists of where you 
are sitting now. 
 
Divide into negative and affirmative teams to debate 
the following topics: 
There is no such thing as normal when 
it comes to human beings. 

White lies are as immoral as outright 
lies. 

It is always wrong for parents to 
separate. 

Children have as much power in a 
family as the adults do. 

Violence can be a reasonable response 
to an unreasonable situation. 

Variety is the spice of life. 


